Elihu Yale - The Great Welsh American

Elihu
Yale's life spanned a time of great changes in British
History and also great achievements in the spheres of the
Arts and Sciences, development in the form of government,
the foundation of the British Empire and the expansion of
trade and commerce.

Yale's father was taken to America
(seventeen years after the first settlers sailed in the
'Mayflower') by his stepfather to avoid discrimination
against the Puritans during the reign of Charles I.

Elihu was born in the
same year that Charles I was executed and Oliver Cromwell
came to power. Rule by an absolute monarch was succeeded
by rule by a dictator both apparently equally intolerant
of those subscribing to any religion other than their
own. The family returned to England during the
Commonwealth and must have witnessed the collapse of the
Commonwealth after the death of Cromwell and the
triumphant return of the Stuarts in the person of Charles
II.

These were exciting and
dangerous times. Elihu must have been in his father's
counting house in London during the Great Plague and the
Great Fire and during the wars with the Dutch when the
Dutch fleet sailed up the Thames, setting fire to British
warships and temporarily cutting off London from the sea.
This was also the period when Charles II founded the
Royal Society to encourage the Arts and Sciences. The age
of Isaac Newton, Christopher Wren, the poets John Milton
and Dryden and many others.

While Yale was in India
he will have heard of events at home; the accession of
James II, the failure of the Monmouth rebellion and the
bloody revenge meted out to the rebels by the notorious
Judge Jeffreys, the flight of James II and the Glorious
Revolution, when William of Orange and Mary were welcomed
to the throne of England and James' final defeat at the
Battle of the Boyne which consolidated William's hold
over Ireland.

During this period the
foundations of the British Empire were laid. The colonies
in the New World were strengthened by emigration from
Britain. Trading posts were established on the coast of
India which would eventually lead to the inclusion of the
whole of the subcontinent as a British possession.

After Yale returned
from India Queen Anne came to the throne and the Duke of
Marlborough won his famous victories against the French.
Then in 1714 the Georgian era started with the accession
of George I. This was the time when government by
Parliament and Cabinet as we know it today first started
with Robert Walpole the first Prime Minister in all but
name. Walpole was appointed in 1721, the year of Elihu's
death.

This was also a time
when trade and commerce greatly expanded and prospered.
When Elihu went to India as a humble 'writer' the East
India company was notorious for the small salaries it
paid to their servants. Even the Governor was only paid
£100 per year. They were no doubt expected to make money
by trading with the natives on their own account. Elihu
succeeded so well that after twenty seven years in India
he returned home with a fortune which would today be
considered suitable for a multi- millionaire. This was a
period when great fortunes could be made and lost. The
South Sea bubble brought misfortune to many through the
greed of both unscrupulous promoters and gullible
investors. It was a period of bribery and corruption;
parallels can be drawn even today with several
spectacular failures of finance companies. Also in this
period another great institution was founded - the Bank
of England. Although a private bank founded by Charter
from William III it was closely associated with the
Government.

Elihu Yale was one of
the first to return from India with a fortune and
consequently to be accused of sharp practice.

In the following years
other servants of the East India Company were to be
similarly treated, notably Warren Hastings and Robert
Clive whose reply to his accusers is well known - 'By
God, Mr Chairman, at this moment I stand astonished at my
own moderation'.

Elihu Yale is one of
those remarkable characters who become a legend in their
own lifetime. He is now best known as the man after whom
Yale University was named and who is remembered by the
Epitaph (composed by himself!) on his tomb in Wrexham
Churchyard. This website is a brief attempt to tell his
story in terms of his epitaph in Wrexham Churchyard,
North Wales, and to encourage the reader to visit the
places associated with him.

Born in America,
in Europe bred, In Africa travell'd and in Asia wed,
Where long he liv'd and thriv'd; in London dead Much
good, some ill, he did; so hope all's even And that his
soul thro' mercy's gone to Heaven. You that survive and
read this tale, take care, For this most certain exit to
prepare: Where blest in peace, the actions of the just
Smell Sweet, and blossom in the silent dust.